Ore-dressing apparatus.



H. VELTEN.

ORB DRESSING APPARATUS.

- APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 9, 1913. v 1,089,606. Patented Mar. 10, 191 i 2 5HEETB-SHHET 1.

OLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO WASfiINGTON, D- c.

H. VELTEN.

ORE DRESSING APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1913, 1 089 606 Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 2

COLUMBIA i'LANooRAlm COnWA-SHINOTON. D. c.

HUGO VELTEN, 0F MILAN, ITALY.

ORE-DRESSING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGO VELTEN, a subject of the King of Prussia, resident of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented new and useful Improvements Relating to Ore-Dressing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ore dressing apparatus. In such apparatus an ascending stream of a liquid or of a gas has already been employed in many cases for the separation of bodies difiering in density or size, the lighter bodies being carried away by the ascending stream while the heavier descend.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide anapparatus for carrying this process into practice, which is distinguished by simplicity in construction and manipulation and ease of adjustment, and by an exceedingly close separation of diiferent bodies, even in the case of small diiferences in the densities of the bodies, or of their size with the same density.

In its broad aspect the invention consists in restricting the cross section of the upwardly ascending stream abruptly, or in other words in confining the restriction of the cross section of the separating medium, as it flows upwardly in a stream, to a very small height, and in arranging a lateral discharge for the separating medium and the lighter or smaller bodies carried along it, immediately above the level of the abrupt restriction.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing and Figure 1 shows a vertical central section of the first embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 2, a similar view of a second embodiment thereof.

The separating apparatus proper is marked a in Fig. 1. It consists of a cylindrical, vase-shaped, or similar vessel which the stream of liquid or gas enters from below, while the material to be sorted is discharged from above through a hopper b. This hopper is provided with slides or baffle plates 0 arranged zig-zag fashion, which plates, if water is used as the separating medium, preferably extend below the water level and prevent the material from falling freely into the water with an excessive initial velocity. Immediately beneath this hopper, at a point where the velocity of the falling material is still small, a short, narrow, contraction e of the passage for the separating Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 9, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914. Serial No. 741,051.

medium, which rises in a full, undivided stream, is formed. The shorter this contraction the more advantageous is its action. It is accordingly represented in the drawing as having sharp edges. Immediately above the level of this abrupt contraction is located the lateral discharge outlet f through which the separated light or small material flows away together with the separating medium. It is essential for the operation of the apparatus that the discharge outlet f should be located immediately above the level of the contraction 6 so that the discharge may take place without ascent, that is to say either horizontally or with a fall.

The efiicient result is due to the fact that the material to be sorted while falling at a very small velocity is opposed in the zone of the contraction by the ascending stream traveling at an increased velocity so that for a moment the fall of the lighter particles is suspended, whereupon they are immediately carried off laterally, as practically no resist ance is opposed by them to this lateral movement. The heavy particles, on the other hand, as soon as they have traversed the extremely shallow or confined region of contracted cross section (constituting hardly more than a mathematical plane) in which the increased velocity of flow of the separating medium prevails, again enter the zone of the normal velocity of flow and therefore fall without further retardation. The heavy material then passes through the socket d into a receptacle, in which it is collected.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, the separating medium, a liquid, flows into the conduit or chamber beneath the separating apparatus a from the side through the pipe 9. In this arrangement an immersed bell 72, forms an annular space i which forms an air cushion insuring the smooth upward flow of the separating liquid. This hell, can, however be dispensed with.

As the etlicient action of the apparatus depends upon the uniformity of the flow of the separating liquid it is advantageous to employ for the supply of the liquid the arrangement that is illustrated in principle in Fig. 1 or in Fig. 2 and will now be described. In Fig, 1 a siphon tube 70 draws the liquid out of a vessel Z and forces it through the pipe 9 into the separating apparatus a. The difference of level between the liquid in the vessel Z and in the supply hopper 5 determines the velocity of flow.

Accordingly this velocity can readily be regulated by raising or lowering either the apparatus, that is to say the siphon 7a with the separator 41, or the vessel Z. The former method can be adopted by suspending the apparatus on a fixed part a by means of a screw spindle mwhich can be ad usted by means of a nut 0. A scale p can be provided so that the adjustment can be read. Such an arrangement presents the advantage that the adjustment can be made in very flne graduations and that the flow of the water is not restricted as it would be with cocks valves, or flaps, by which eddies and other irregularities would be caused. Air exhausting devices can of course be provided in the known manner on the siphon apparatus.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the liquid is not forced by pressure into the apparatus (H, but is sucked put of it. The apparatus a is located entlrely in a vessel 4 filled with the separating liquid. This liquid is admitted at an appropriate place, for example through the pipe 1". The downwardly directed pipe 8 is connected with the outlet f and opens into the vessel t which serves as a collector for the lighter materials separated. In order to prevent the suction of air through the supply hopper Z2 there 1s provided immediately below the level of the liquid a narrow annular space '11, or some other narrow opening, which permits of a small admission of liquid.

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1, and 0 represents the battle plates; d the socket through which the heavy material is carried away; and e is the contraction in the passage for the heavy material downward and the separating medium upward.

I claim:

1. An ore dressing apparatus having a fluid tank, an inlet pipe admitting fluid under pressure to said tank, a separator immerged in the fluid, said separator receiving the material to be separated at its top and the fluid through its bottom and being pro vided with a contracted passage and an outlet, said passage having opposing sharp edges and being situated approximately midway between the two ends, and said outlet situated level with said passage; whereby the fluid, meeting said material at said passage separates out the lighter particles from said material and carries them with it through said outlet while the heavier particles continue through said passage in the same direction as the material entered.

2. An ore dressing apparatus having a fluid tank, an inlet pipe admitting fluid under pressure to said tank, a separator immerged in the fluid, said separator receiving the material to be separated at its top and the fluid through its bottom and being provided with a contracted passage and an outlet, said passage having opposing sharp edges and being situated approximately midway between the two ends, and said outlet situated level with said passage; and a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined alternating baffle plates at its upper end; whereby the fluid meeting said material at said passage separates out the lighter particles from said material and carries them with it through said outlet while the heavier particles continue through said passage in the same direction as the material entered.

3. An ore dressing apparatus having a fluid tank, an inlet pipe admitting fluid under pressure to said tank, a separator immerged in the fluid, a hopper above said separator for feeding the material to be separated into the separator, said separator receiving the material to be separated at its top and the fluid through its bottom and being provided with a contracted passage and an outlet, said passage having opposing sharp edges and being situated approximately midway between the two ends and said outlet situated level with said passage; and a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined alternating baffle plates at its upper end; whereby the fluid, meeting said material at said passage separates out the lighter particles from said material and carries them with it through said outlet while the heavier particles continue through said passage in the same direction as the material entered.

4. An ore dressing apparatus having a fluid tank, an inlet pipe admitting fluid under pressure to said tank, a separator immerged in the fluid, a hopper above said separator for feeding the material to be separated into the separator, said hopper communicating at its lower end with the sur- 5 rounding fluid in said tank; said separator receiving the material to be separated at its top and the fluid through its bottom and being provided with a contracted passage and an outlet said passage having opposing no sharp edges and being situated approximately midway between the two ends, and said outlet situated level with said passage; and a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined alternating baflie plates at its upper end; whereby the fluid, meeting said material at said passage separates out the lighter particles from said material and carries them with it through said outlet while the heavier particles continue through said passage in the same direction as the material entered.

5. An ore dressing apparatus having a fluid tank, an inlet pipe admitting fluid under pressure to said tank, a separator immerged in the fluid of the tank and open at its lower end, a hopper at the upper end of said separator for receiving the material to be separated and passing it into said separator, said hopper being provided with an annular aperture at its lower end opening into the fluid in said tank, downwardly and inwardly inclined battle plates in said separator beneath the entrance from said hopper, a horizontal partition in the separator provided with a central contracted passage with sharp edges, and being also provided with an outlet from said separator above and level with said partition, and a pipe running in a horizontal direction from said outlet through said tank, said tank having an opening in its bottom for removing the heavy separated material; the material to be separated meet ing at the contracted passage, the fluid current coming in the opposite direction, whereby the lighter particles of said material are carried away by the fluid through said outlet, the heavier particles of the material collecting at the bottom of said tank.

The foregoing specification signed at Magdeburg, Germany this 19th day of December, 1912.

HUGO VELTEN.

In presence of- OSKAR MARKIsoH, WILHELM FLEISGHBACK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of lstents. Washington, D. G." 

